19 May 2016

Over the last few months, Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Paris St. German star Lucas Moura, and according to his Agent, the €32m-rated Brazilian is having a tough time in Paris, which may present an opportunity for interested clubs - including Liverpool - to capitalise this summer.

In December, multiple reports claimed that Liverpool had 'made contact' with PSG to discuss the signing Moura, who allegedly wants to play for Klopp.

"He [Moura] loves PSG, but he's had problems. He has not played that much, and he's unhappy about that. He often complains".

If Moura is happy to stay at PSG, why say anything negative publicly? It's clearly a message to interested clubs, and will probably be taken that way. As such, should Liverpool push ahead with a deal? Moura's stats:

* 26 goals/37 assists (60) in 169 apps (Goal every 387 mins. Assist every 272 mins. G/A every 159 mins). Never scored more than 9 league goals in one season.

Laurent Blanc, has expressed frustration with Moura's paucity in front of goal, and last season, he told reporters:

"He [Moura] is a wonderful player [but] he must understand that an attacker must score goals. He is at a big club and he must progress quickly.”

Blanc's view matches my own: an attacking player's primary role is to score/create goals; everything else (including pressing/running etc) is secondary, and it's refreshing to see a manager of Blanc's stature reiterating this. On the plus side:

* Moura plays for one of Europe's biggest clubs, so he's experienced the pressure that comes with relentless expectation.

* He plays alongside the likes of Ibrahimovic, Silva, Motta, Pastore, Veratti, and Cavani, and that experience with elite players should (in theory) help him hit the ground running in England.

* Moura is only 23, so with the right guidance/coaching, he can improve, and his best years are (or should be) ahead of him.

It'll also make refreshing change to see Liverpool sign a player from one of Europe's top clubs and not from a mid-table (or worse) Prem/Bundesliga club.